Reduce or waive renewal fee

If you wish to reduce your licence renewal fee, there are a number of options that you should consider:

• Do you have the right category of licence? You should consider whether a licence category with a lower renewal fee would better suit your business. Please refer to the Variation to category of licence application kit (PDF, 1.63 MB).
• Should you reduce your venue capacity? If you hold a late night (general) or late night (on-premises) licence, you can consider reducing your patron numbers to reduce or remove the venue capacity multiplier.
• Should you reduce your trading hours? You could consider reducing your trading hours to avoid the operating hours risk fee if you hold a:
  • late night (general)
  • late night (on-premises)
  • general
  • on-premises
  • packaged liquor or
  • late night (packaged liquor) licence.

If your business is facing difficulties, you may consider investigating the range of business supports available in Victoria, including:

• Business Victoria: assists business owners to make decisions about their future. If business owners have any questions about re-establishing their business, or alternatively using their existing business skills to establish a new business, contact Victoria Business Line 13 22 15 or visit Business Victoria.
• Small Business Mentoring Service: is an independent, not-for-profit organisation providing experienced business mentors to Victorian businesses, including those facing challenging times. You can contact the service on 1300 816 817 or visit Small Business Mentoring Service. 

As a last resort, the VCGLR has the power to waive or reduce licence fees in some circumstances. If you wish to apply for a waiver or reduction of your licence renewal fee, you will need to complete the Waiver or reduction of a renewal fee application form (PDF, 728 KB) and return it to the VCGLR.

You should note that the VCGLR will take a range of factors into account in deciding whether to grant a waiver or reduction, including (but not limited to):

• whether you have taken the opportunity to reduce your patron numbers or trading hours to reduce your fee
• your compliance history - if one or more non-compliance incidents have been recorded against your licence for the previous period, the VCGLR is unable to grant you a waiver or reduction of your renewal fee.

You should also note that a fee reduction or waiver is designed to provide licensees with once-off assistance in exceptional circumstances. If you have previously been granted a fee waiver or reduction, this will be taken into account if you make another application for a fee waiver or reduction.